160+ Members of Congress Sign Letter Calling for Stricter Gun Control Laws

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Over 160 members of the House of Representatives have signed a letter asking Speaker of the House John Boehner to allow a vote on gun control legislation. All of the signers were members of the Democratic party. The letter reads, as follows,

Dr Mr. Speaker:

We agree with you that we must honor the victims of the recent shootings in Portland, Las Vegas, Seattle and Santa Barbara. But momemnts of silence on the floor of the House are not enough. The last thing these victims and their families need is further silence from this Congress. They deserve a vote.

Our nation has suffered at least 74 school shootings since the Sandy Hook massacre. The factors allowing these rampages are no mystery: loopholes in background check laws, straw purchases, restrictions on law enforcement and gaps in our mental health system. Dozens of legislative proposals that address these factors have been introduced and await consideration. But despite wake-up call after wake-up call, a shameful tradition of Congressional inaction continues.

Gun violence has affected constituents in every Congressional district, and as their representatives, Members of Congress deserve the opportunity to vote on bills that would address the epidemic.

Congressional silence is not a sign of respect, but rather an institutional indictment. We must right this wrong. You must allow a vote on substantive legislation to address gun violence.

First off, stricter background check laws would not have stopped any of the recent shootings. Second, the “74 school shootings” statistic has been debunked by both CNN and Politifact as being deceptive and mostly incorrect.